[Dabhand16]

I think you need to decide if you want a veiwfinder or just an LCD screen before you go too far down the line of picking a compact. One of the reasons I've not upgraded my old Coolpix 885 is that most modern ones only have an LCD, and a viewfinder is at the top of my list as a desirable feature.

The fuji F30/31 always got good press, but no viewfinder.

Canon still provide a viewfinder on some of their models, as do Sony.

Think what you want from a compact and consider a used one if it can give you more features than a modern one - often the newer models are full of gimmicks that are of limited or no real use. Check out the Canon Powershots/600 series and Ixus that have now been superceeded.

If you are not bothered by only having an LCD, the choice is greater.